


Two Thirds of a Whole

by Cadburytrooper96



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Doctor Pepperony, F/M, Honestly I think we missed out on something great by not having them together, I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP!, Insecurity, Intrusive Thoughts, M/M, Pepper Potts Feels, Pepper feeling like she doesn't deserve her boys, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Self-Loathing, Tony and Stephen being GREAT partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 19:17:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20729402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cadburytrooper96/pseuds/Cadburytrooper96
Summary: It was a picture-perfect scene and Pepper realized with no small amount of unease that there was no space for her in it.Pepper deals with her insecurities and self-loathing in her relationships.





	Two Thirds of a Whole

Pepper watched Stephen and Tony as they bickered between themselves. It was their turn to cook this week and it was squaring up to be a bit of a disaster.

“Tony, are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Which one of us is Italian again? Yeah, I thought so.”

“I just don’t think that the recipe meant an entire bottle of wine.”

“It’ll cook off! And if it doesn’t, yay for us.”

Maybe it was just the stress of the week talking but the two just looked so at home together. Bringing Stephen into their relationship had done wonders for the both of them but especially Tony. The inventor had someone who understood how it felt to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders and they connected in a way she and Tony had never been able to.

“Pep! Friday, why didn’t you say something?” Tony said as he noticed her leaning against the wall.

“Sorry, boss. My attention was set on making sure you two didn’t burn down the house.”

“The cheek!” Tony said with mock outrage. Stephen rolled his eyes at his boyfriend’s antics and went round the island to give Pepper a hug. She sank into his embrace and breathed in the comforting scent of old books and sandalwood.

“Welcome home.” He murmured and Pepper gave a thankful sigh. She pushed away her thoughts and tried to stay in the present.

* * *

Pepper woke up with a start. She scanned the room, wondering what would have woken her up before realizing. Tony was curled into her side, his eyes screwed shut and making small whimpers. Her heart sank as she realized he was having one of his nightmares. She gently nudged his shoulder but that was to no avail.

“Stephen.” She whispered. The sorcerer woke up with a start as well, a shield already forming. He turned and his shield vanished at the sight of Tony. His face fell at the sight of his partner in pain and he sat up.

“Tony. Sweetheart, you need to wake up.” He said gently as he shook the inventor awake. The inventor held out his hands in defense and they were immediately wrapped in the nanotech he wore. They formed gauntlets and Pepper moved back in alarm. “Tony!” His eyes flew open with a gasp and he scrambled back against the sheets.

He powered down the gauntlets and the nanotech crawled back into their compartment. His chest heaved as he tried to shake off his nightmare and Stephen reached out to touch him. He flinched and pressed back against the headboard. Pepper hadn’t seen him this spooked in a while and she didn’t know what to do. Tony never told her what his nightmares were about and after a while, she stopped asking. He just retreated to the lab and she tried her best to be there for him.

“S-Sorry. I can go, you should go back to sleep.” Tony stuttered as he tried to get off the bed. Stephen’s eyes narrowed and he held Tony back.

“You must be out of your mind if you think we’re going to let you leave just after you had a nightmare.”

Pepper swallowed guiltily.

“Yeah but I c-can’t sleep and I don’t want to bother you.” Tony murmured as he picked at the sheets.

“How about Pepper and I go back to sleep and I astral project so I can stay with you.” Stephen suggested. “That way we both get some sleep but you’re not alone.” Tony looked up at him with wet eyes and Pepper reached out to give his hand a squeeze.

“Sounds like a great idea, honey.” She said gently.

“Okay.” He mumbled. “Sorry for waking you up. I know you hate when I have nightmares.” Her heart sank. Is that what he really thought? That she viewed his nightmares as some sort of inconvenience?

“Honey...” Her voice trailed off as she searched for something to say. Tony only gave a sad smile and squeezed her hand before leaving. Stephen turned to her with an odd look in his eyes but said nothing. He shuffled closer to her and Pepper tried to push down her guilt. It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t know how to astral project. It didn’t make her a bad partner and it’s not like Tony would confide in her. _Maybe because you brushed his feelings off the first time._

She would forever regret how she acted that night. Granted, being woken up by one of Tony’s suits was terrifying but it was much worse for him. She knew that and yet she’d left him alone to stew in his fear.

“He’ll be okay, Pep.” Stephen said, mistaking her self loathing as concern for their partner. “I’ll make sure of it.” Somehow, that didn’t make her feel any better.

* * *

Pepper stopped short as she took in the sight in front of her. Tony and Stephen were curled up on the sofa while their kids sat on bean bags on the floor. For once, they weren’t watching Star Wars but had what looked to be Lord of the Rings on screen. There were bowls of popcorn and in front of them and she could hear Tony hum in comfort as he snuggled deeper into Stephen’s embrace.

The boys were squabbling about eagles or something and Morgan was sat in front of the TV, her eyes wide as she took in the adventure that played out on the screen. She’d been gone for a month, yet it felt like ages. It was a picture perfect scene and Pepper realized with no small amount of unease that there was no space for her in it.

They looked happy and content without her and it felt like an emotional punch in the gut. _Well, what did you expect? You’re always busy with the company __and they all know how you feel about them superheroing. _She couldn’t help it. Every day her boys left home with no promise that they would return and it scared the hell out of her. It was why she’d broken up with Tony in the first place. She didn’t think she could bear the pain of losing him and had left but that obviously didn’t pan out.

Pepper felt something tickle her and she yelped in surprise. The cloak darted out from its position behind her and somehow managed to look contrite.

“Pepper!”

She looked up to see Stephen and Tony beaming at her.

“Welcome home, ma!” Harley called out as he shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth. Peter waved at her and she felt warmth spread through her at the sight of her children. She might be having doubts about where she fits in her romantic relationships but she never doubted her feelings on the kids. They were her world and she would kill to protect them.

“You’re just in time to catch the iconic ‘you shall not pass’ scene.” Tony said as he paused the movie, much to Morgan’s disapproval. The toddler whined and turned to complain only to see her mother.

“Mommy!”

Pepper smiled as Morgan ran towards her and clung on to her legs. Pepper picked her up with a smile and kissed the side of her head.

“How did it go?” Stephen asked, his fingers gently stroking her hand. Pepper gave a tired sigh and he chuckled. “That bad?”

“I just hate incompetent people.” She replied.

“Are you up for movie night?” Tony asked. Pepper wanted to say yes but the image of the picture-perfect scene she’d walked into came to her. All of a sudden, she wanted to be alone. She shook her head .

“No, I think I’m just going to head to bed. I’m beat.”

There was a chorus of dissent but they let her go without too much of a fight which didn’t help alleviate her thoughts. Morgan gave her a kiss on the cheek before scuttling back to her former position and she said her goodbyes. Pepper dragged herself into the shower and tried to push away the growing ache in her chest.

* * *

They had no rules when it came to their relationship. They were all equals and despite the fact that she’d known Tony for longer, she did not look at Stephen any differently. Her relationship with him had evolved into a separate entity from the one she had with Tony and vice versa for him as well. So really, walking in on the both of them having sex shouldn’t have been an issue.

Except it was.

She’d had a tough day at work, Harley had gotten into a fight at school and somehow managed to drag Peter into it so she had to deal with press and Morgan had been difficult all around so all she wanted to do was curl up with her boyfriends and maybe have a self-care/pity party for herself.

Honestly, she should have just left as soon as she heard them because she wasn’t in the mood but she’d gone ahead and stood to watch. Tony was on his back with his legs wrapped around Stephen’s waist as the sorcerer drove into him. His face was slack with pleasure and he was making those lovely whines and pants that never failed to drive her and Stephen wild.

“S’good, so good, _fuck_, love you s’ much.” Tony murmured drunkenly as his eyes fluttered shut. “Love you, love you, _oh god there!_”

“So perfect for me.” Stephen rumbled as he thrust into him. “You’re perfect. I love you too, darling. More than anything.”

Pepper’s eyes prickled with tears and she ran out as quickly and quietly as she could. She knew they loved each other the same way they loved her, she knew this in her mind but her heart was saying something else. _He loves Stephen more than you and why wouldn’t he? Stephen is there for him, he doesn’t nag him, he’s supportive and the children love him. There’s no space in this relationship for you and you know it. _

She bit back a sob and locked herself in a guest bathroom. She tried to muffle her tears but she couldn’t help it. She felt like an outsider and it hurt more than she could imagine but she had no one to blame but herself. _Maybe I should make it easier and leave. They’re better together and I don’t want to make them choose._ The thought of not having either Stephen or Tony in her life made her chest ache but clearly it was what was best for both of them and their happiness mattered more than hers.

"Miss Potts, shall I alert boss to your distress?"

"N-No, Friday. I'm fine." She replied. Pepper shakily wiped her tears away and tried to focus. Something told her to just tell her boys but she didn't want to sound like the poor, attention-seeking girlfriend. All it would do was make them feel guilty and they didn't deserve that. She could do this. She could push away her feelings for their happiness. After all, they always put others before themselves. She could do the same for them.

* * *

Pepper walked into their bedroom to find her boys waiting up for her. It was near midnight and she thought they’d be sleeping by now but apparently she was wrong. “What’s going on?” She asked as she kicked off her shoes. “Are the kids okay?”

“They’re fine but we’re not.” Tony said and her heart sank. This was it. This was how they broke up with her. “Pep, honey, what’s going on?”

Pepper fiddled with the hem of her shirt. “W-What do you mean?” She mumbled.

“Are you seeing someone else?”

Her head snapped up in shock at Stephen’s question. “Wha-How-Why would you even think that?” She cried.

“You’re never home.” Tony started. “The kids have barely seen you in weeks.”

“You’ve been pulling away from us and you don’t even seem to care.” Stephen continued. “Is it...” He paused for a moment before speaking again. “Is it something we did?”

That was the last straw and Pepper burst into tears. She covered her face with her hands and stiffened as she felt arms wrap around her before being enveloped in the comforting smell of engine oil and aftershave. She let Tony lead her to the bed and felt the familiar warmth of Stephen’s magic wash over her as he swapped out her pantsuit for pajamas.

They waited till her tears had dried up to sniffles and hiccups before continuing with their line of questioning. “Want to tell us what’s going on? Let us help you, Pep.” Stephen said as he rubbed soothing circles on her hip. She should have deflected or refused but she was just so exhausted. Her feelings for the past few months came rushing out and with that came a sense of relief. Maybe they’d think she was pathetic but at least it was all out there.

“I’m sorry that I made you think that I was cheating but I just...I look at you two and you look so perfect together and I thought that maybe it would be for the best if I left.” She mumbled, avoiding eye contact with both of them.

“Why the hell would you think that?” Tony asked.

“Because Stephen understands you. He gets the whole superhero thing and he’s there for you in ways I could never be.” She argued. “A-And I was so horrible to you-”

“Pepper-”

“I was! What kind of person leaves their boyfriend to deal with PTSD on their own? I should have been there for you but I wasn’t, just like I wasn’t there when the whole thing with the Accords happened.” Pepper swiped at the tears that had begun to run down her cheeks. “I don’t know why you took me back. I didn’t deserve it then and I don’t deserve it now.”

“Is that why you let me in?” Stephen asked quietly. Her brows furrowed before she understood what he was saying.

“No! I love you.” She said as she sat up. “I fell in love with you the same as Tony. I swear.”

“I believe you.” Stephen said as he planted a small kiss on her forehead. Pepper sniffled and leaned into him, still avoiding Tony’s gaze.

The billionaire leaned over and carefully placed his head in her lap. He reached for her hand as she started pulling away and placed soft kisses on her fingertips. “Pep, sweetheart, I’m going to ask some questions and all I want is a yes or no. Okay?” He asked. She nodded and steeled herself for whatever was about to come.

“Do you love us?”

“Yes. S-So much.”

“Do you want to be with us?”

“I don’t want to-”

“Yes or no, love.”

“Y-Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah.” Tony said with a shrug. “Honey, I forgave you a long time ago. If I’m not allowed to dwell on past mistakes then no one is.”

“That’s surprisingly mature of you.” Stephen said playfully and Tony stuck his tongue out before turning his attention back to Pepper.

“We wouldn’t be complete without you, Pep. You keep us grounded and we need you.”

“Tony’s right.” Stephen continued. “I wouldn’t be whole without both of you. You’re not just an add on, you’re an integral part of this relationship and I’m sorry you felt like you weren’t.” Pepper brushed away the last of her tears and nodded.

“So...now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, is there ‘I’m happy you still love me’ sex in the very immediate future?” Tony asked with a sly grin. “No pressure but a certain someone hasn’t sat on my face in a few weeks now and it’s a travesty that needs to be remedied as soon as possible.”

“You brave soldier.” Stephen said in a deadpan tone. Pepper giggled shyly and ran her fingers through his hair.

“Maybe in the morning? I just want to be held. I-If that’s okay.” She stammered and was met with enthusiastic nods. Tony sat up and she relaxed as she felt his arms wrap around her waist. Stephen planted a kiss on the top of her head and Pepper snuggled deeper into his chest. She still felt insecure, she didn't think that was ever going to completely go away but right now, at this moment, she felt like she belonged. 

* * *

"I'm going to be late." Pepper mumbled against Tony's lips. 

"If only you had someone who could get you to the office in seconds." Stephen said cheekily as he trailed kisses down her body. Pepper shuddered. Ever since she'd revealed her anxious thoughts to them, the boys had gone the extra mile to make her feel loved and included which translated into date nights, a vacation with them and the kids and several reminders of how much they loved her. It also meant passionate, intense sex and she couldn't remember the last time her body had had such a workout. Not that she was complaining. 

"_Boys_." She whined as Tony's mouth lowered to her breasts and Stephen nipped at her inner thigh. 

"It's your fault for being so damn good looking." Tony grumbled even as he mouthed at her neck. "Just one, Pep?" He pleaded. "You know how much you love Stephen's mouth." He wasn't wrong there, the sorcerer could do things with his mouth that should be illegal. 

"Just let us give you one and we'll let you go." Stephen husked and she lost the battle before it had even begun. She gave a nod of consent and laid back as her boyfriends brough her to the brink of pleasure several times before pushing her off. 

Needless to say, she was late to work. 

**Author's Note:**

> I love IronStrange and Pepperony so Dr. Pepperony is the best of both worlds. Pepper's an interesting character to me. Being the love interest of a man like Tony Stark comes with its own struggles and his issues and baggage definitely did not make it any easier. I wasn't a fan of her reaction in IM3 when Tony had the nightmare but if we're being honest, she's a civilian who runs a billion-dollar comapny AND deals with Tony's many eccentricities. I feel like Stephen has a better understanding of the person Tony is because they're so alike in many ways so Pepper's insecurities make a lot of sense. 
> 
> Anyway, I enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading it.


End file.
